Toy gun



July 14, 1942.

.'1. B. FISHER TOY'GUN Filed July 19, 1940 WMM Patented July 14, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE TOY GUN Joseph B. Fisher, Strathmore, Calif. Application July 19, 1940, Serial No. 346,451

3 Claims.

This invention relates to toy guns of the type shown in my U. S. Patent No. 1,892,209, dated December 27, 1932, wherein rubber bands are employed as projectiles. I

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of rubber band holding and releasing mechanism, whereby the necessity for manually recocking the gun after the discharge of each rubberband is rendered unnecessary.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a rubber band holding and releasing mechanism which is comparatively simple in construction and highly eiiicient in operation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a gun of the above kind with simple and efficient means for preventing the `rubber bands from flying backwards and striking the user of the gun in case they should become broken or accidently disengaged from the front end of the gun barrel. I

With the above objects in view, the present invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure '1 is a view, partly in side elevation and parly broken away and in section, of a toy gun constructed in accordance with the present invention, the parts being disposed for discharge of the iirst of a plurality of rubber bands upon pulling the trigger.

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 with the parts as they appear after the trigger hasbeen pulled and the first rubber band projected or discharged. I

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 with the parts disposed in the position they will assume after release of the trigger and following discharge of the first rubber band as in Figure 2, the guard for preventing the rubber bands from flying backwards being shown in elevated position where reloading of the gun is permitted.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line 4--4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present gun has been shown as of the pistol or revolver type and formed of a pair of pressed metal vertically abutting halves of a size and shape simulating that of an actual revolver. This provides a body comprising a barrel I, a stock 2 and a handle 3, the body members being suitably secured together. The barrel I has a notch or depression 6 at its forward end so as to form a seat for the rubber bands 'I used as projectiles.

The band holding and releasing mechanism includes a horizontally elongated plate 8 mounted in the stock portion of the gun for sliding movement longitudinally of the latter, said plate having formed along its upper edge a row of upstanding band retaining lugs 9 which may slant rearwardly and preferably have at rear faces. The flanges of the body sections at the top of the stock portion of the gun are spaced apart to provide a slot I0 upwardly through which the lugs 9 project, and at the forward end of the slot I0 these flanges are provided with spaced upward extensions II between which the lugs 9 are adapted to pass upon forward movement of the plate 8, the extensions II being of slightly greater heighth than the lugs 9 so as to cause dis-engagement of the rubber bands 1 from said lugs as they successively pass between the extensions I I. As shown, the plateV 8 `has a longitudinal elongated slot I2 therein near its upper edge and extending for the major forward portion of the plate 8. A pin I3 lextending transversely between the body sections and carried by the latter near the forward end of the stock portion of the gun, loosely passes through the slot I2 so as to guide the plate 8 in its sliding movement. The plate 8 is further guided and prevented from swinging through the medium of a pair of lateral lugs I3a on the rear upper edge portion of the plate 8 respectively engaging the under and upper surface cfa top flange of one of the body sections along one side of the slot IIJ.

Y The plate 8 is further provided with a relatively wide longitudinal elongated slot I4 parallel with and below the slot I2, as well as extending rearwardly of the latter. Formed on the plate 8 atthe top of the slot I4 are` a plurality of depending spaced projections I5 which may incline forwardly and which preferably have flat front edges. Similar upstanding projections I9 are provided on the plate along the lower edge of slot I4, the projections I6 being in staggered relation to the projections I5 and of a number so that a projection I6 occurs forwardly of the foremost projection I5 and another occurs rearwardly of the rearmost projection I5.

A trigger member I1 is pivoted on the pin I3 beside the plate 8 and has a depending finger piece I8 projecting downwardly through a slot in the bottom, of the stock portion 2 and within the space bounded by a trigger guard I9 formed on the bottom of said stock portion. The trigger I'I has its upper portion formed with a rearward extension directly below the pin I3, which extension terminates in a laterally directed lug 20 arranged to alternately engage the projections I6 and I5 in a manner which will be presently described.

In use, the plate 8 is slid rearwardly to the position of Figure 1 wherein the pin I3 lis disposed at the forward end of slot I2and wherein the trigger I I has its finger piece I8 swung forwardly. In this position, the trigger lug 29 is disposed in front of the foremost projection I6, and the lugs 9 are disposed rearwardly of the upward extensions Il on the stock portion of the gun. The rubber bands 1 are then disposed in engagement with the notched forward end of the barrel as at 6, the first rubber band applied being in engagement with the rearmost lug 9 and so on. Thus, the outermost rubber band will be then engaged with the foremost lug 9. With the gun thus loaded as shown in Figure l, a rearward pull upon the nger piece I8 of the trigger l1 will cause dis-engagement of the trigger lug 20 from the foremost projection I6,

thereby allowing the rubber bands to shift the Y,

platecforwardly until the foremost projection l engages .the 'trigger lug .20 .as shown in Figure 2. Whenthis takes place, the foremost lug 9 passes between the Vupward extensions .Il of .the stock portion so that `such extensions .cause the rear end .of the .outermost rubber band to be elevated out of engagement with its associated lug 9. When thus released, the rubber `band, which has been placed under tension, will be projected in a well known manner. As soon `as the trigger is released, the :plate 8 will be allowed to `shift forwardly under the influence of the rubber bands, thereby causing the trigger to be tilted so that .its lug will engage the next projection it of the plate .8 as in Figure 3. The gun is now conditioned for discharge of the next succeeding rubber band, merely upon rearward pulling upon the finger piece of the trigger. This operation may be repeated until the entire supply of rubber bands has been projected. It will thus be seen that the bands may be rapidly successively red .by simply operating the trigger, no manual re-cockng of the gun 4being necessary after firing each succeeding rubber band.

In order to prevent a rubber band from iiying backwards and striking the -user -of the gun, in case such lrubber band may become broken or accidently dis-engage from the -f-ront -end of the gun barrel, I provide a guard member 2-l which is preferably pivoted at its rear end as at 22 to the rear end of the stock portion 2 and which extends upwardly and forwardly so as to be -in the path of any rearwardly iiying band. The guard 2l may be swung -upwardly away from the lugs 9 so as to permit free loading of the gun, after which the guard member may be swung downwardly to enclose the lugs 9 and thereby furnish maximum protection. As shown, the guard member 2| .may be in the form of a hollow member open at the bottom and front and having depending extensions 23 at its forward ends provided with inwardly pressed teats 24 adapted to frictionally engage opposite sides of the stock portion of the -gun so as to frictionally retain the guard in its operatively lowered position. The guard 21| is of a length to extend to a point adjacent the rear ends of the upward `extensions Il.

From the foregoing description, it will Abe readily seen that I have provided a device for successfully carrying out stated objects or" the invention. While a preferred embodiment lof the invention has been shown and described in considerable detail, it will be understood that the device is susceptible to such minor changes in details of construction as fairly fa-ll within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a toy gun to -shoot elastic bands, a vertical plate projecting through and movably mounted in the stock of the gun, upstanding lugs along the upper edge of the plate to engage individual bands at one end, said bands being adapted to be stretched and engaged at the other end with the front end of the gun, said plate being formed with an elongated slot and provided at the top and bottom of said slot with A projections, the projections at the top of the Vlo slot being in staggered relation with those at the bottom of `the slot, a trigger element sepa rate from and pivoted beside the plate, said trigger element having a rearwardly extending portion below its pivot terminating in a lateral lug arranged in the slot of the plate for alternate engagement with said projections, whereby alternate pulling and release of the trigger will permit step by step movement of the -plate vunder the pulling pressure of the bands thereon.

2. In a toy gun to shoot elastic bands,Y a vertical plate projecting through and movably mounted in the stock of the gun, upstanding lugs along the upper edge -of the plate to engage individual bands at one end, said bands being adapted to be stretched and engaged at the other end with the front end of the gun, said plate being formed with an elongated'slot and provided at the top and bottom of said slot with projections, the projections at the top of the slot being in staggered relation with those at the bottom of the slot, a trigger element separate from and pivoted beside the plate, said trigger element having a rearwardly extending portion below its pivot terminating in a lateral lug arranged in the slot of the plate for alternate engagement with said projections, whereby alternate pulling and release of the trigger will permit step by step movement of the plate under the pulling pressure of the bands thereon, said plate hav-ing a further elongated slot, a pin extending transversely through said slot and carried lby the stock to guide the forward portion of the plate in its movement, said pin forming a pivot for said trigger element.

3. In a toy gun to shoot elastic bands, a vertical plate projecting through and movably mounted in the stock of the gun, upstanding lugs along the upper edge of the plate to engage individual bands at one end, said bands being adapted to be stretched and engaged at the other end with the front end of the gun, said plate being forme with an elongated slot and provided at the top and bottom of said slot with projections, the projections at the top of the slot being in staggered relation with those at the bottom of he slot, a trigger element separate from and pivoted beside the plate, said trigger element having a rearwardly extending portion below its pivot terminating in a Vlateral lug arranged in the slot of the plate for alternate engagement with said projections, whereby alternate pulling and release of the trigger will permit step by step movement of the plate under the pulling pressure of the bands thereon, said -plate having a further elongated slot, a pin extending transversely through said slot and carried by the stock to guide the forward portion -of the plate in its movement, said pin forming a pivot for said trigger element, and spaced lugs extending laterally Vfrom the plate and engaging the stock to guide the rear portion of the plate in its move ments.

JOSEPH B. FISHER. 

